Washing machine



Jan. 5 1926.

C. W. GORMLEY WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18. 1922 INVENTOR Ck'mdes W. Govwdm ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1926. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' WASHING MACHINE. 7

Application filed December 18, 1922., Serial No. 607,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GonMLnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Morris; in the county of Livingston and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Innqrovements in lVa-shing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a washing machine with a new and improved form of driving mechanism.

This and. other objects of this invention will be fully illustrated in the drawing, described in the specification and pointed out in the claim at the end thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the washing machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of one end of the washing machine.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the washing machine illustrating: part of the driving mechanism of the machine.

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional-view of part of the driving mechanism, the section being taken on the line i -A of Figure 3. I

In the several figures of the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

.Vashirigmachines constructed for household use are principally of the rotary type, that is, they are provided with a cylinder containing the clothes which is rotated in a stationary tub first one or more times in one direction and then reversed and rotated as many times in the opposite direction. The washing machine forming the subject matter of my present invention is" of this rotary type and comprises a stationarv tub in which the wash cyllnder 1s alternately rotated first in one direction and then in the other direction making one complete revolution each time.-

As illustrated in the drawings, the washing machine comprises the semi-circular tub I which is supported in a suitable frame work Atone' end of the tub 1 is formed a casing 3 in which a part of the driving and controlling mechanism of the washing machine is. mounted. This mechanism in turn is drivenby an electricmotor t mounted on the frame work 2 below the tub l. The speed of this motor is reduced by a suitable "worm' drive mounted in the gear casing 5 and then transmitted to the vertical power shaft 6. This shaft projects into the casing'3 from below and isadapted to rotate in the bearings'? and 8 formed on the bracket 9. The bracket 9' inturn is mounted on the outer end of the tub 1 and on the inside of the casing 3 to support the driving mechanism located therein. Loosely mounted on the vertical power shaft 6 above the bearing 7 is the bevel pinion 10; This bevel pinion has the clutch member 11 formed on the upper end thereof. A second clutch. member 12 is provided that is keyed to the shaft 6 and above the bevel pinion 10' and is adapted to slide into and out of engage1nent;witl1 the clutch member llformed integral with the pinion 10. In this way the bevel pinion 10 may be rotated by the shaft 6 or can remain idle during the rotation of the shaft 6 by the motor 4. The clutch arm 13, the free end of'which engages int-o the circular groove 14 of the clutch member 12 is adapted to move the clutch members 11 and 12 into or out of engagement with each other. This clutch arm is made up in the form of a bell crank and is pivoted to the outside of the tub l at 15. A. handle16 carried on the clutch arm extends through a slot 17 in the top of the casing 3 so that it can be operated at will by the operator of the machine. The slot 17 guides the upper end of the handle when throwing the clutch into or out of engagement. Normally the clutch is held in a dis engaged position being held in this position by-the'expansion spring 18. This spring is held in place between the under side of the clutch arm 13 and a boss formed adjacent to the bearing 7. Wheninthisposition the handle is located at the left hand end of the slot 17 as illustrated in Figure 2. To bring the clutch members into engagement with each otherthe handle is moved to the right hand end of the slot past the finger 20 which projects part way into the slot until the hen dle is located at the right of this finger. By placing thehandle behind the finger 20 it is prevented from returning back to its normal'position; In thisposition the expansion bevel gear 21. The gear 21 is keyed or otherwise suitably fastened to the outer end of the short shaft 22. This shaftis mounted in a bearing provided in thebrack'et 9 and projects through the end of the tub -1 to the inside thereof. On the inside of the tub the shaft 22 projects through a bushing provided to make the bearing of the shaft water tight. This bushing is. made up of a sleeve 23 which is held against the inside of the tub by means of the collar 24 as illustrated in Figure 4. For this purpose the sleeve 23 has a flange 25 formed on the inner end thereof which flange projects into the undercut opening in the collar 24. The collar is then drawn tight against the inside wall of the tub 1 with a felt washer 26 between the collar and sleeve and the inner wall of the tub.

Within the sleeve 23 are placed. a hair of wood washers 27 and 28 with a felt washer 29 placed between them. A metal washer 30 is then placed on the outside of'the wood washer 28. The end of the shaft 22 is threaded so that the crank 31 can be threaded thereon. on the outside of the sleeve 23. The crank. after being threaded to the inner end of the shaft 22 then holds all of the washers 27, 28, 29 and 30 in place in the sleeve 23. For the purpose of expanding the bushing made by the wood and felt washers within the sleeve 23, to form a water tight bearing for the shaft 22 a small hole 32 is provided in the crank 31. A small punch can be inserted through this hole and hammered against the metal washer 30 at different points of the face thereof in order to force this washer into the sleeve and compress the wood washers 27 and 28, and with it the felt washer 29 between them.

The crank 31 is provided with a stud or crank pin 33. On this pin is pivoted the end of the rack 34 by means of which the cylinder 35 is rotated. The cylinder has a stud 36 mounted centrally at each end thereof. These studs are mounted to rotate in suitable bearings provided on the inside of the tub. One of these studs 36 as illustrated in Figure 2 has a pinion 37 keyed thereon with which the rack 34 is adapted to mesh. The rack 34 is held in mesh with the pinion 37 by means of the bracket 38 which forms a fulcrum over which the back of the rack can rock and slide during its reciprocating movement given to i-tby the crank 31. The back of the crank forms a cam that is designed to keep the teeth of'the rack in constant mesh with the teeth of the pinion 37. This is the only guide for-the rack 34 during its reciprocating motion. The rack is thus allowed to occupy different tangential positions on the pinion in which the rack adjusts itself automatically to the position of crank arm and in this way secures the most eflicient driving of the cylinder. It will be noticed on an inspection. of the. rack 34 as. illustrated in Figure 3, that the rack is straight exceptfor a short distance at the.

inner end thereof. This. isnecessary because at this P011111 the rack cannot. be held in mesh with the pinion by the bracket 38 unless the rack is curved outwardly as above pointed out. Instead of making the rack curved at this point, longer teeth may be formed at this point in order to keep the rack in mesh with the pinion.

The bracket 38 is adjustable horizontally and if necessary moved forward or away from the pinion 37.

The rack 34 and pinion 37 are proportioned so that during one-half of the revolution of the crank the cylinder 35 will be given a complete revolution in one direction while during the other half of the revolution of the crank, the cylinder is given a complete revolution in the opposite direction.

The washing machine is provided with a wringer (not shown). This wringer is mountedv on the hollow standard 50, the lower end of which surrounds the sleeve formed by an extension of the bearing 8. A flange 39 formed as the base of the standard 50 is adapted to rest on the shoulder 40 of the bearing 8. This base has a series of holes 41 spaced concentrically around the standard so that they can be successively brought into alignment with a similar hole 42 in the shoulder 40 of the bearing 8.. In the hole 42 is mounted one end of the U shaped pin 43. This pin extends to one side of the hole 42 on the under side of the top of the casing 3 and then up through the boss 44 formed on the bracket 9 and through the top of the casing with a handle 45 mounted on the outer end thereof. An expansionspring 46 surrounds the U shaped pin 43 be tween the handle 45 and to of the casing 3 and normally holds the pin in its uppermost position in which the free end of the pm engages one of the holes 41 in the base of the standard 50 and locks it against rotation on the extension of the bearing 8. hen it is desired to rotate the standard the handle 45 must be forced down so that the free end of the U shaped pin passes out of the hole 41 and allows it to rotate to the desired position.

I claim:

A driving mechanism, for a washing machine comprising a crank, an arm pivoted on said crank, said arm having a cam surface provided on one side thereof and a rack on the other side thereof, said rack being curved at the inner end thereof, a stationary fulcrum for said arm to slide over and. rock thereon, a pinion mounted to rotate oppo site said stationary fulcrum and mesh with said rack of said arm, the curvature of said cam surface and the curvature of the end of said rack being adapted to keep said rack continuously in mesh with said pinion while sliding and rocking-over said stationary fulcrum.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARLE We 

